By T.O.K.S.
January 18 2006

T.O.K.S. gives us his take on Sunday's vital bonus point victory over Bennetton Treviso. Starting with the biggest understatement of all time - "Whatever else you can say, supporting the Men in Black is never going to be a boring business". After Biarritz’s fine win in Ulster on Friday night, a five-point win was essential to build momentum for the winner-takes-all clash in the Basque country next week. Having looked to be reasonably in control of the game all the way through without it ever really being reflected on the scoreboard, the gap closed to five points 10 minutes from the end and Sarries were forced to hold on for the victory.

Still, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here and let’s outline the events of the game. Optimisim for an impartial referee were dashed when Mr. Changleng emerged from the tunnel with a pair of Treviso socks on. Hopes for competence from the officials was equally squashed when the Treviso fly-half, Marius Goosen, put the opening kick-off straight out and only a line-out was signalled! Still, joking apart, I felt the referee had a good game, kept things flowing and seemed to get most things right.

Saracens opened the scoring with a Glen Jackson penalty in the second minute but Treviso showed that they were not here just to make up the numbers, when after a nice “show and go” Goosen went over under the sticks in the fourth minute, converting his own effort. Still, Sarries were playing good, solid rugby and in the sixth minute after opening up some space on the right-hand side of the pitch courtesy of a long cut-out pass from Hugh Vyvyan, some good hands from Chesney and Castaignede put Scarborough over for Sarries first try. Jackson converted but another Goosen penalty in the 10th minute meant that we were all square at 10-10 at that stage.

Another Goosen penalty put the Italians ahead before good Sarries pressure lead to Dan Harris going over from 7 yards out. Dan really is the epitome of the shortest route between two points being a straight line and his hard aggressive running was one of Sarries major plus-points of today’s game. Still, back our Italian friends came, although it was the very un-Italian-sounding Brendan Williams who created their next points after a chip and chase and some juggling that Billy Smart would have been proud of lead to him going over in the corner. Back Sarries came, first with a Glen Jackson penalty and then with a Kevin Yates try when he was driven over following a short-range line-out (one of the Italian forwards was in the bin at this stage).

After an Italian penalty, making the scores 25-21 at that stage, Sarries scored their fourth, and bonus point, try on the stroke of half-time. A fine cross-kick by Jackson and some good hands on the right by Scarborough, lead to Bartholomeusz crossing. At half-time the Men in Black lead 32-21 and were looking reasonably comfortable.

However, in the second half, the home team never really got going. The game never seemed to flow and only exchanges of penalties punctuated the scoring sequence. Four penalties to one for Treviso meant that we entered the final 10 minutes with Saracens holding a precarious five point lead at 35-30. However, their defence - strong throughout (as was Treviso’s) - held out and the five-point win was duly achieved. Still, I don’t think our Basque friends will be quaking in their boots and we definitely need to step up three notches next week in order to compete.

Points of Note:

Strong points: midfield defence and general strong play of Harris and Castaignede in the centre, solid scrum in Cobus’ absence, Skirving’s all-round play again exceptional.

Weak points: Line-out again a concern (not all own ball won and rarely looked like challenging Treviso’s throws), poor discipline leading to 6 successful penalty goals for Goosen, and again unfortunately poor basic skills in the handling department.

Amusing points: “Casualty” must be an extremely popular show in Italy as the Italian substitutes did an extremely passable impersonation of paramedics in their green all-in-one tracksuits!

And finally, I spotted one Treviso fan in the South Stand, and the area at the end of the Rous where away fans normally congregate was like the vast plains of the Serengeti. Anyone spot any more?

SCORERS: Saracens: Tries: Scarbrough (7min), Harris (20), Yates (32), Bartholomeusz (40+2). Conversions: Jackson 3. Penalty goals: Jackson 3 (3, 25, 48). Treviso: Tries: Goosen (6), Williams (22). Conversions: Goosen. Penalty goals: Goosen 5 (10, 16, 46, 51, 68). Dropped goal: Legg (33).

SCORING SEQUENCE (Saracens first): 3-0, 3-7, 10-7, 10-10, 10-13, 15-13, 15-18, 18-18, 25-18, 25-21, 32-21 (half-time) 32-24, 35-24, 35-27, 35-30.

SARACENS: M Bartholomeusz; D Scarbrough, T Castaignède, D Harris (rep: K Sorrell, 65), B Johnston (rep: P Bailey, 41); G Jackson, A Dickens (rep: M Rauluni, 52); K Yates (rep: A Liffchak, 64), S Byrne, B Broster, K Chesney, H Vyvyan, T Randell (rep: Seymour, 71), B T Russell, B Skirving.

TREVISO: B Williams; D Dallan (rep: G Pizaro, 14), S Legg, M Barbini (rep: A Marcato, 69), P Calanchini, M Goosen, S Picone (sin-bin: 31; rep: A Troncon, 41); F Sbaraglini, A Tejeda (rep: F Ongaro 41; sin-bin: 55-67), H Mazino (rep: A Tejeda, 60; rep: A Allori, 68), A Pavanello (rep: E Pavanello, 63), M Wentzel, D Del Maso (rep: A Allori , 57-68), S Orlando, W Wium (rep: S Palmer, 41).

Referee: M Changleng (Scotland).

Attendance: 5,712.